In many surgical procedures, it is necessary or desirable to drill or abrade an object, e.g., bone. In these situations, it is common to provide a rotary tool comprising a handle assembly having a high speed motor, and a coupling assembly at the distal end of the handle assembly for releasably connecting a working element (e.g., a drill bit or burr) to the high speed motor, such that the working element (e.g., the drill bit or burr) can be turned by the high speed motor and then used for the desired purpose (e.g., drilling or abrading bone).
The present invention provides a novel coupling assembly for releasably connecting a working element (e.g., a drill bit or burr) to a high speed motor of a handle assembly of a rotary tool.
For purposes of clarity of description, the present invention will sometimes hereinafter be discussed in the context of a high speed drill bit or burr, however, it should be appreciated that the present invention is also applicable to other working elements, e.g., a dental polishing head, etc.